An important part of being an educator is reflection. Reflection is a learning process through which you use your experiences and knowledge to guide you in the future. Each week you will have the opportunity to use your journal to reflect on the content you have learned in this course and throughout your degree program. Specifically, you will reflect on the connections you see between each case study and two to three topics from the Program Comprehensive Exam.
This week we will be focusing on learner development, learning differences, and application of content. As you learned from this week's readings, understanding your students is critical when you are trying to meet their developmental and academic needs. In order to do this, you must differentiate your instruction. To learn more about differentiated instruction, please read the article Differentiating instruction in the preschool classroom: Bridging emergent literacy instruction and developmentally appropriate practice.
Take a few minutes to think about how the case study addresses these topics. The questions below may spark some ideas regarding learner development, learning differences, and application of content. You do not need to address all the questions; instead, write down your thoughts as they unfold.
Reflect on the following in your journal:
1. What do you remember about how your own teachers differentiated instruction in order to meet the needs of all the children in your childhood classroom(s)?
2. How was this similar or different to what Mrs. Ashland did in the case study to meet the needs of Johnny, Jack, Maya, Caleb, Kayla, and Jane?
3. What are some strategies that Mrs. Ashland used to meet the cognitive, social and emotional, language, physical, and moral development of her students?
4. Do you plan to use any of the strategies that your teachers or Mrs. Ashland used? Explain your thinking using justification, supporting details, and critical thinking.
MUST be atleast 400 words in APA format
Required Resources
1. Krogh, S. (2013). A Bridge to the Classroom and Early Care: ECE Capstone. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Chapter 3: Subject Integration in Curriculum Planning
Chapter 4: Making Curriculum Integration Work
1. HeadStart. (2010). The Head Start child development and learning framework: Promoting positive outcomes in early childhood programs serving children 3-5 years old. Retrieved from http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/eecd/Assessment/Child%20Outcomes/HS_Revised_Child_Outcomes_Framework(rev-Sept2011).pdf
This document provides students with the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework.
Purcell, T. (2012, April 16). Differentiating instruction in the preschool classroom: Bridging emergent literacy instruction and developmentally appropriate practice. Retrieved from http://www.stcloudstate.edu/tpi/teachersupport/documents/differentiatinginstruction-earlychildhood.pdf
Heald, S. & Zaur, J. (2013). ECE 430: Week 2 case study: Students. Ashford University, College of Education, San Diego, CA.
In Case Study 2 you will meet six of Mrs. Ashland's students and learn about their development.
Heald, S. & Zaur, J. (2013). Lesson plan rubric. Ashford University, College of Education, San Diego, CA. Zaur, J., & Bodamer, K. (2014). Lesson Plan Template. Ashford University, College of Education, San Diego, CA.
Common Core State Standards Initiative (http://www.corestandards.org)
Recommended Resources
Benson, T. R. (2004). Integrated teaching units. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20070322005955/http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/integratedunits.html#
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009). Where we stand on early learning standards. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/earlyLearningStandards.pdf
This file states NAEYC's position on Early Learning Standards
Mumford, D. (n.d.). Planning a theme based unit. Retrieved from https://www.pacificedgepublishing.com/pdf/PlanThem.pdf
Illinios State University. (2005). Balancing learning standards with diverse learning needs [Video File]. Retrieved from the Films On Demand database.
This video helps to explain some ideas you should take into consideration with planning a differentiate lesson plan.
Zaur, J., & Bodamer, K., (2015). Early Childhood and Child Development: Lesson Plan Handbook. San Diego, CA; Bridgepoint Education.
This supplement is a ConstellationTM course digital materials (CDM) title and can be located on your Constellation bookshelf.
Share My Lesson (http://www.sharemylesson.com)
This websites contains sample lesson plan ideas